Abstract

Seventeen daucane esters have been isolated from the seeds of Ferula hermonis Boiss (Apiaceae). Three of these sesquiterpenes, 4 beta-hydroxy-6 alpha- benzoyl-7-daucen-9-one (1), 4 beta, 8 beta-dihydroxy-6 alpha-benzoyl-dauc-9-ene (2), and 4 beta, 9 alpha-dihydroxy-6 alpha-benzoyl-dauc-7-ene (4), named feruhermonins A-C, respectively, are novel natural products. The structures of these compounds were elucidated unequivocally by a series of 1D and 2D NMR analyses. Although 4 beta, 8 beta-dihydroxy-6 alpha-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzoyl)-dauc-9-ene (3) was reported previously, the complete spectroscopic data for this compound are presented here for the first time.